


Happiness

by Rei382



Series: Hagane No Chronicles [15]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-12
Updated: 2013-12-12
Packaged: 2018-01-04 11:06:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1080290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rei382/pseuds/Rei382
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ed doesn't have many things to enjoy in his life; but he finds his happiness in the little things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiness

Edward didn’t have many things to indulge in.

Since his mother died, back when he was only five, he didn’t really have a childhood. Having no father, it became his responsibility to take care of his little brother, and, on top of that, he decided to take on the mission of bringing their mother back. He learned things he shouldn’t have at the age of six, went through alchemy training even adults wouldn’t manage and attempted the darkest, strongest kind of alchemy by the age of eleven. He had to witness his mother dying twice, his limbs taken away from him, his brother being taken away from him. Had to make difficult choices, force his body into doing the impossible and joining the military when he was twelve. He witness and done things he should never have done, not as an adult and certainly not as a fourteen year old boy. He watched many people die, some of them very close to him, and could blame himself for their death. He had to face the destruction of the world he knew, had to fight the being that defeated God and had to win even when it seemed hopeless. His brother sacrificed himself for him to do that, just like he sacrificed his alchemy to save Al later.

Even in his adult life, after having won all the fights and leaving the army, it was still hard to find moments to spoil himself. He had a demanding job that made him sit all day long and think. He had a house to keep clean, people to deal with. It wasn’t easy, living in Central where most people knew him and judged him for the way he chose to live his life.

Still, he wasn’t complaining. He accomplished all his goals. He got his brother’s flesh body back, and got to see him healthy and happy. He got to see him falling in love, marrying, and he had his suspicions that he’d soon see him becoming a father; but neither Al nor Winry said anything yet, so he wasn’t going to ask anything until they decide it’s time. He won all his battles, saving the people he loved. Despite everything, he did like his job, and he didn’t have to take care of his residence alone. He had the man he chose to live his life with to share that chore with him. Knowing that Roy was there, either waiting for him at home with a delicious smelling dinner or at work, trying to make the world better before he could come and join Ed in their warm home could always make him smile.

Right now, he was snuggling on the sofa under a thick winter blanket with him, each reading a book and drinking their own beverage – Ed’s a hot tea and Roy’s a coffee. Ed never really understood how the man could drink coffee so late in the evening and still fall asleep (at least to the milk part he managed to get used to after a while of trying to force Roy not to drink it with milk by refusing to kiss him when he did), but he wasn’t questioning it. Roy managed to fall asleep like a log even after a cup of coffee drank at eleven pm.

A wave of cold air penetrated through the little crack that was always left between the wall and the window, making Ed move closer to Roy’s warm body without bothering to lift his eyes from his book. He told him weeks ago that they needed to fix that, and he would’ve done so himself if he didn’t give up his alchemy five years ago. As it was, he depended on Roy for things like that.

But he didn’t feel like bringing it up right now, choosing instead to keep focusing on his book. It was a plot book for a change; he started reading those when he realized he got paid for reading science books at work, thus allowing him to feed his curiosity and natural yearn to learn while earning money rather than spend the precious time he had at home with his lover on doing so.

“What are you reading?” Roy’s quiet, low voice cut through his concentration, making him look up at the man who was eyeing him with a curious smile. It seemed that the movement broke Roy’s concentration, and he decided to get back at him by doing the same to him. Asshole.

“The same thing I’ve read yesterday.”

“I noticed that,” came the reply, and he was forced to move as Roy did, closing his book and placing it on the table as he grabbed his glass of coffee instead. Once he was sitting straight again he used his free hand to pull Ed closer and embrace him in a half hug. “But you got me curious about the story yesterday. What happened until now?”

“Just read it when I’m done if you’re so curious. Hopefully I’m gonna finish it today so you won’t have to wait so long either,” Ed answered, and turned his eyes back to the book – but only to hide his smile from his way too sharp lover. He knew what the reply would be, and knew what Roy was trying to do. But he was still the stubborn self that he was when he was a teen, and even though he knew he’d give up and tell, he couldn’t help but acting the way he did. Being twenty-three years old changed nothing about him but his appearance (he looked way too much like his father now) and his sexual experience (which Roy made sure to make very vast by now).

“Did anything interesting happen? You told me yesterday that there was this man who got on a journey – “

“He lost everything. I told you it was a book about the end of the world. There’s no food and no countries so he just wonders around with his kid trying to survive,” Ed said, pretending to be a little annoyed even though he wasn’t really. “Now they think they found some place to stay, but I’m pretty sure someone’s gonna die. They already found that some groups are actually eating people to survive, which, considering there’s nothing else to eat, makes sense,” he shrugged. “I bet the kid will die. The adult can’t die because the story is kind of told through his point of view, and the kid’s just a burden by now. I don’t know. Talking about food made me hungry,” he frowned thoughtfully. They ate dinner about four hours ago, which explained the fact that he was feeling hungry. Even though his right arm was flesh and bones again, his left leg still was an automail. He was used to it, but it strained the body and still forced him to eat more than a normal person would. It was good in a way; he loved eating, and the fact that his automail leg drained so much energy enabled him to eat a lot without gaining any weight even though he spent most his day sitting now.

A little bit above him, Roy chuckled. “I can’t believe you got hungry by talking about cannibalism. Is there anything you need to tell me? Something I should be worried about?”

“What?” Ed asked, a little puzzled. He didn’t even think about it that way. “No. I was talking about food. It’d been too long since dinner, now I want food. Think we still have some of the cake Winry brought over on the weekend left? I’d love to have some chocolate now.”

Roy laughed again. “I’ll check it out. You stay here and keep reading, maybe if you keep telling me about how these people eat each other I won’t be tempted to eat the cake with you,” Ed could feel the other man pressing his lips gently to the top of his head before Roy moved, abandoning him alone on the sofa. Consequently, Ed looked up and followed him with his gaze.

“Feel free to make me another tea, if you’re already on your way to the kitchen,” he said, smiling. His smile broadened when Roy paused, and turned to look at him.

“I’m not your waiter, and you’re going to wake me up in the middle of the night when you’ll go to the bathroom. If you’re thirsty, go get yourself water,” he said, scolding, but despite that he turned back and walked towards the kitchen.

“Aw, come on. You sleep like a dead man. You know I won’t wake you up and it’s cold!”

“Fine, fine. I’ll make you tea,” Roy called towards him, and Ed could already hear the kettle being placed on the stove. He smiled. Roy just couldn’t say no to him.

He went back to his book, reading a little bit more until Roy’ll come back, so he could tell him that something nice had happened and make him eat the cake with him.

It was the little things, like evening like this when it was just him and Roy snuggling and just reading together, or watching a movie together, that made Edward happy. It was hard to find things to indulge in or be happy about when you spent your childhood thinking everything was ruined; but then he had everything that worked out for him, all the good things that he managed to gain, and it was easy to find reasons to be satisfied.


End file.
